1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of training aids for sports activities. More particularly, it relates to a training aid to improve a golfer's swing.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In playing the game of golf, a golfer strikes a small ball with the head of a golf club. The ball is laying on the ground or held just off the ground by a tee. The head of the golf club is connected via a relatively long shaft to a handle. The goal is to strike the ball precisely with finesse and with varying degrees of force. This is a challenging task and reliably good swing practice requires that the golfer keep his or her head properly aligned and motionless throughout the swing. This technique is often difficult for a novice golfer to master. Even experienced golfers can lapse into bad habits and lose their swing. Moving the head even to a small degree can have subtle effects on the accuracy of the swing and it is sometimes difficult for the golfer to recognize that he is moving his head during the swing. For this reason, golfers who have a consistently poor swing and can afford it, often hire the services of a coach who can observe their swing technique and point out shortcomings. It is relatively expensive to hire a coach. For those who can't afford a coach, it is often extremely frustrating to try to correct a poor swing, because it is so very difficult to perceive small head movements on oneself during a swing.
Training aids are known that provide a light beam as a guide for the golfer. The light-emitting device is mounted on a cap or headband and adjusted to project a beam of light downward that will hit the golf ball or a spot on the ground a certain distance next to the golf ball when the golfer is in the proper stance for the swing. The disadvantage of such aids is that, with a single beam, or even with parallel beams, certain head movements of the golfer will not result in a change in the endpoint of the projected light beam. For example, a right-handed golfer could shift his body to the right and rotate the head to the left, without the endpoint of the beam moving from the target area. This type of motion of a golfer is quite common, and without the visual feedback from the light beam, the golfer often does not realize that he has moved his head.
What is needed, therefore, is a training device that aids the golfer in training and practicing the proper golf swing. What is further needed is such a training device that is easy to use and set up. What is further needed is such a training device that is transportable.